


These Things Happen

by KottaKitty



Category: Young Justice, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Child Abuse, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Violence, re-write of and old fic on FFnet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-19
Updated: 2015-03-31
Packaged: 2018-03-13 20:26:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3395291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KottaKitty/pseuds/KottaKitty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a tiresome mission Wally tries to rest, but when his father comes home it all goes wrong.</p><p>Originally posted to FF.net in 2012</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. No Rest For The Wicked

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this fic a long time ago, and I remember at the time I was so proud of it! Skip ahead about five years and now I cant even look at the original without cringing.
> 
> I went through it all an improved as much as I could haha I hope you enjoy it nevertheless! 
> 
> These Things Happen
> 
> Warnings: mild language, child abuse and (mild?) gore.
> 
> Please leave kudos and comments at the end if you liked it! :)

Wally West, had just come back from a mission with the rest of the Young Justice team. It had taken more of a toll on him than he originally thought it would have. The villain, some crazed asshole, had the ability to take away powers. If it weren’t for Robin’s general badassery and Artemis’ bow and arrow the team would have been in a lot more trouble. 

When the speedster had temporarily lost his powers, everything slowed down to a stop. 

It was as if his whole world had just been covered in molasses. He was so confused and nothing made sense; all he knew is that there was a sudden insatiable void inside of him that just ached to be filled. Something was missing and he needed it back before he died of sheer boredom. 

When Robin and Artemis had defeated the villain, all the power energy began to return to each hero. 

The world was still moving so slowly for the poor speedster, he couldn’t think strait or move, just stared blankly at the slow world around him. The team were nowhere near him at this point so they could see how badly the sudden temporary loss was affecting him. This spat of lost power must have only lasted a few minutes tops, but it felt like a lifetime to Kid Flash. Eventually, enough of his energy had come back to set him off speeding about once more. Flirting with the ladies and annoying everyone to his heart’s content.

No one would have guessed his powers were taking longer to fully come back. He hadn’t eaten for such a long time due to the unexpected length of this mission. So his seriously heightened metabolism was burning up any power he had fast in replacement of food.

When they got back to Mount Justice, Wally had said a brief good-bye, then went to the zeta beam and was gone before anyone could really have acknowledged his departure.  
There were two reasons behind this rushed departure. The first being that he was genuinely tired from the day’s activities for once (and boy, did he need to eat). The second being that he knew his father was due home any minuet and he still had so much to do.

Wally had arrived back at his house (now in civvies) checked no one was around.

The house was silent, that's how he liked it.

No parent around.

Just him.

The speedster felt completely whipped of all energy "It must have been losing my powers." he thought and rubbed his head "If I get a snack I'll feel better…" but he knew he had to prepare his dads dinner first, before he could even consider taking care of himself.

The boys eyelids slid shut as he calmly collected his thoughts and encouraged his tired body to just keep moving. You could say he was switching himself on to auto-pilot. 

Suddenly, he heard a massive bang come from behind him. Wally jumped, being pulled from his almost relaxed state. He mumbled something incomprehensible under his breath then mustered all his remaining energy to turn around and face his own personal hell.

Wally could easily guess the events about to occur. He’d lived through them long enough.

Wally's farther (Rudolph west) was drunk and a very angry one at that. He had entered violently through the front door after an evening’s worth of drinking his life away, and witnessed his son just standing in the hallway. Not doing anything that even remotely looked like is chores.

"What the hell-?" the man spat "What do you think you’re doing you good for nothing scum!" he crashed to his side leaning against the wall, far too wasted to even support himself. "Not making my dinner! Just standing there, wasting time! You disrespecting little runt!” Rudolph jabbed at the boy viciously with a half-filled bottle of vodka he held tightly in his sweaty calloused hand.

Wally took a step forward and turned to face his father "I got in late from a mission… I haven’t had time to start yet.”" he mumbled. When his dad anywhere near Wally, he felt like a powerless child. There was nothing he could do; it was like that villain had taken his power away once more…

"What's that boy? Go on spit it out you damn disgrace!" he stumbled forward, putting the hand not occupied by the bottle on his knee to stop him from falling over.

The speedster looked down over his right shoulder and choked back a whimper. Then, shutting his eyes as tight as he could. Gathering every ounce of courage he had. He yelled back sharply “I haven’t had time yet! Why can’t you take care of yourself for once? Oh wait, its ‘cause you’re a no good alcoholic asshole!”

The air surrounding the two males was filled with so much tension that you could probably cut it with a knife. Wally took in a shaky breath, he was vibrating with fear. He didn’t know what drove him to suddenly yell like that, the beatings were always better if he didn’t stick up for himself. The redhead’s eyes were now wide open staring at his father waiting anxiously for his reaction.

In a perfect world Wally's mum wouldn't have died and his farther wouldn't have started drinking or abusing him. In a perfect world his uncle Barry would be his father and his aunt Iris would be his mother. But this world is far from perfect.

The loud smash of the vodka bottle was herd by Wally, and Wally alone. Then the gentle drip drop of the alcohol that had stayed around the inside of the bottle rang through his ears.

"You’re gonna regret that you dumb shit." His farther spat venomously.

The broken bottle stabbed harshly in to Wally’s side, he yelped in pain and was about to collapse when his farther caught him, somehow holding the both of them up in his intoxicated state.

"You ain't gettin' any rest yet." he twisted the bottle inside his son and pressed in a little further.

Wally's eyes were filled with tears but he wouldn't let them go not while his monster of a farther was around, no way. He gritted his teeth and clamped his eyes shut only letting the odd noise of excruciating pain escape is clamped jaw every now and again.  
The bottle was removed and Wally fell to the floor, coughing vigorously and holding both his hands over the wound, pressing as hard as he could to try and slow the insane amount of blood that was flowing from it.

He panted hard as he tried to ignore the pain erupting from his side. Wally failed to hold back the tears that now were over flowing from his usually beautiful but now afraid emerald eyes.

"You’re weak! No child of mine, you worthless shit." Rudolph grunted. The drunk farther then began to stumble out the door again before shouting at the poor boy "Clean the floor by the time I'm back or else I’ll kill you and you can go live with your mother!" he delivered a sharp kick to the boy’s leg then left, spouting a scrambled list of swear words in a fit of rage.

The door slammed shut. Leaving Wally alone, in a dying mess on the floor. 

He'd never felt pain like this before. Coughing he pressed one hand on the floor to sit himself up whist still keeping the other hand tightly clamped around the bottle wound.

"I-I think there are some glass shards I-in there…" Wally managed to gasp out, practically choking on each word.

He didn't know what to do; he'd never taken a beating like this before… The blood. There's so much blood.

Wally never told anyone about the beatings, too afraid of what everyone would think of him but also more afraid of his father’s reaction. Now he needed help though, the speedster really didn’t want to die, not now, not like this. There were still so many girls he hadn't hit on! Foods he hadn't shoved down his bottomless pit of a stomach! So many lives he has the potential to save.

His vision blurred as panic rose from the pit of his stomach and he looked desperately around the room for some kind of salvation. He then remembered the communicator he kept on him at all times to notify the team of any injustice occurring (his father’s beatings didn’t count until this instance). He reached for his ear letting the tears and cries of pain go free, struggling not the slip away in to the blackness of unconsciousness.

He went to click the communicator button, but hesitated. He needed to call someone he could trust, someone who didn't know his farther personally, someone who could help.

He reached up and pressed the call button.

“Robin…?”  
"Hi Wally!" the speaker on the other end of the phone said. "Having a whelming day?"

The red head hacked a cough out "Been better." he said weekly, he wouldn't last much longer.

"Dude, you okay? What's wrong? Where are you?" Robin blurted in a concerned tone.

Wally sighed and managed to say and he grunted in pain, "I'm at my house, not feeling very asterous actually… Could you come get me? Please."

"Yes of course! I'm on my way! What happened?" Robin’s voice picked up speed as he noticed something was very wrong with his best friend. He ran to a nearby zeta beam to transport him to where he thought Wally was. Luckily he wasn't patrolling with Batman at the time of his best friends distress call. "Wally? Wally?" Robin called again down the communicator, but received no answer.

Kid Flash had hung up.

Thoughts of what had become of his friend raced through his mind as he ran, finally making it to the zeta beam. He was soon running once more to the front of Wally's house. The boy wonder had made it in amazing time, adrenalin and worry pumping through his veins quickly driving him onward. The fact that the door was hanging a jar filled Robin with even more concern than he already had inside him. His worry was churning his stomach, a sickly feeling rising steadily up his throat, making him gulp in suspense of his friends fate.

The boy wonder burst through the door, examining his surroundings "Everything looks normal…" he thought slightly puzzled. Robin crept around the house looking for the speedster; it wasn't long before he found a speedster at least.


	2. The Wrong Flash

Barry Allen stood in front of the ebony haired boy with a puzzled look "Hey kiddo, what you doing here? Wally's not around you know."

Robin's panicked expression fell to one of annoyance "Seriously? I bet he's pranked me!" the ebony haired boy threw his hands in the air "Wait till I see him again!"

Barry took a step forward and chuckled thinking about his nephews pranks (like this one time he actually had the guts to prank Batman! The Flash had thought it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen, Batman clearly felt otherwise though). "What's he done now?" he questioned with amusement.

"He phoned me up sounding all sick and beat up, and then he said he was at "his house" and asked if I could come get him! Well I'm here and so are you! But there's no Wally… he's probably laughing his ass of right now from wherever he is." Robin grumbled, arms folded tightly across his chest.

Barry looked concerned "This isn't Wally's house, I'm not his dad." he looked saddened at the words that had just escaped his mouth.

"But I always thought that-" Robins concern for Wally reappeared in an instant and his heart sank. He was also severely embarrassed that he, the boy wonder, was wrong about where his closest friend lived. Batman wouldn't be pleased. 

"Most people think that, it's a simple mistake to make." Barry ruffled Robin's hair smiling warmly before he remembered the matter at hand. "But-“ he began with a more serious stoic face “More importantly we need to find Wally, it doesn't sound like he's in good shape." the blonde's eyebrows knitted together with concern for his nephew.

Robin nodded, "We need to find him, and I assume you know where he lives right?"

"Of course and-" these was a blur of red and a few flickering lightning bolts then suddenly Barry was in his Flash uniform "I'll give you a ride there, Hop on! We'll be there in a flash." Barry scooped up Robin in his arms, resting an arm behind the boys’ neck, taking every precaution to not give him whiplash. Robin braced for the force of the sheer speed the Flash was about to run at, focusing on the thoughts of anxiety concerning his best friend.

Flash ran to Wally's house in record time.

They stood outside Wally's old grey house; you would never imagine someone as happy and full of life as Wally would live in such a depressing looking place.

Robin felt unsteady on his feet once he had been placed on the ground by the Flash. It was due to a mixture of the extreme speed he had just travelled at, but also the fear he held for his friend. 

Barry had already unlocked the door and was waiting for Robin to regain his composure. Once he was sure Robin was all there again he opened the door "Okay Robin, let’s go."

They walked in, immediately noticing the blooded body of Kid Flash curled up in the corner, passed out.

"KF!" Robin gasped out, almost frozen in shock.

"Kid!" Barry cried as he sped to Wally's side instantly checking his nephew’s wounds over and looking for any sign of life in the limp body.

Robin gulped, and managed to take a shaky step forward as his whole body trebled lightly. He should be able to handle situations like this. He’d seen plenty of possibly dead bodies in his time. But, those bodies had never belonged to his best friend. “Are we too late…?” He said quietly, eyes downcast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look on my profile for an extra fanfiction about Wallys prank on Batman :)


	3. Things get Better Then Worse

"Kid! Kid please, wake up!" Barry pleaded to the unconscious boy as he cradled him in his arms. Robin broke out of his shocked-frozen trance, ran over and crouched next to Barry looking at the bottle wound. Wally was deathly pale and there was blood, so much blood.

"What happened? Who could have done this? Why would someone do this!" the boy wonder questioned frantically in his mind.

"We need to call the League right now. They are the only ones who can help! H-he's…" Barry swallowed, not wanting say the next few words "Not going to last much longer" the older speedster said monotonously as he tried desperately to stop the bleeding.

Robin had never heard a speedster so serious before… It was unheard of! "O-okay I'm on it!" he pressed the communicator in his ear with a shaky hand and called the Watchtower.

Batman answered Robin's call in his usual gruff deep voice "Robin? What do you want?" he asked, concerned something had happened in Gotham.

"Kid Flash he's been attacked… He's in bad shape. The Flash is here too! We need to get Kid in the Watchtower Medical Bay now; he's lost so much blood a-and we don't know if he'll last much longer" Robin practically whimpered the last part, if there was someone he couldn't handle losing it was the fun loving, happy-go-lucky speedster, Wallace Rudolph West. One of the only people in his sheltered life that he could trust and talk to about anything and everything.

The Dark Knight could hear the panic in his young protégées voice. "I'll send Green Lantern to pick him up. But only him, have Flash speed you both to the Watchtower as soon as you've handed Kid Flash over."

"Okay. Robin nodded even though Batman wouldn't see it and hung up his communicator connection to the Watchtower. He turned to the Flash, who clearly didn't know how to feel. Angry? Panicked? Grief stricken? His face showed a mix of all three. "Green Lantern's coming to get him. Then you've got to take us to the Watchtower."

"Alright." The Flash said sounding very distant, his eyes were glued to his nephew and he was literally vibrating with worry; if Robin were a speedster he'd be doing the same though.

It wasn't long before Green Lantern arrived. Wally was put in to a green stasis filled and whisked away faster than one of Batman's Bat-Arrangs. He was soon in the care of Batman and Wonder Woman; they had to work fast but luckily the Watchtower is more than equipped with all they need to save the young speedsters life.

The Flash and Robin made it to the Watchtower closely after the wounded redhead, only to be forced to wait outside the medical bay until they were told otherwise.

The tension was unbearable. The two people closest to Wally in the whole world sat and waited to know if they would hear his laugh or see his smile ever again. Periodically the silence between Robin and Barry (who had now taken his cowl off) was broken by them talking of the fun times they’ve had with Wally.

"Remember when he pranked Batman?" Barry smiled lightly, tears brimming in his eyes as he recalled the fond memory.

"And I got the blame! How could I forget?" a small smile flickered across the boy wonders face.

"What about when he told Super Boy that all electronic things are actually evil robots?" Barry snickered.

"Of course! Supes cut off the entire mountain's power to stop the robots!" they chuckled, reminiscing on fun times.

It went silent again for ages, until Barry said softly to Robin "He'll be okay you know. He’s always fine in the end." Robin knew that Barry was re-assuring himself as well as him.

"I know, KF won’t die easy, and we still don't know who to make pay for this. KF is the only one who would know!" The ebony haired boy got more railed up as he thought about bringing Wally’s attacker to justice. 

"Actually… I have an idea who could have done this." Barry mumbled. His fists clenched in rage.

"What! Who?" Robin demanded, anxious to find who did this.

“I hate to say this-“ Barry clenched his fist in annoyance “-but I think it was his father.”

Robin didn't say anything, just stared in disbelief at the fastest man alive.

"I never liked him, he would always shout at Wally and put him down. Even in public… but Iris and me couldn't do anything no matter how hard we tried. I never would have thought that Rudolph, Wally's father, would go as far as to actually beat his son! Let alone stab him with a goddamn bottle!" Barry said quietly at the start but building up in to a strong enraged growl towards the end of his speech.

Robin still just stared. Thinking about what to do… he opened his mouth about to finally breaking the cripplingly tense silence when Wonder Woman walked in with an expressionless face.

"He's stable." she said with a small smile.

Barry and Robin let out a sigh of relief as a huge weight was lifted from their shoulders.

"May we see him then?" Robin said with a hint of childish excitement.

Wonder Woman bit her lip then said as she placed a hand on her hip and shifted her weight to the side "J'onns with him right now…"

Barry tilted his head as he questioned "Huh? Why?"

Wonder Woman continued, her voice sounding deeply saddened as she spoke "While Batman and myself finished operating; Wally he began to have a nightmare of some form.”

Barry and Robins faces became angered as they guessed what the poor speedsters nightmare was about.

"At first he mumbled inaudibly, and then he just started screaming and pleading for mercy… We could still operate with the cries no matter how disheartening they were, it was when he began thrashing about that we had to call J'onn in to calm Wally before something went terribly, terribly wrong." she frowned "What happened to him that was so traumatic?"

Barry had a look of pure fury as he practically hissed in an uncharacteristically venomous voice "His father… that's what happened."

The Amazonians eyes widened "You mean that-"

"Yes." Robin cut in, his face practically matching Barry's "How long until we can see Wally?" he continued in a more urgent tone. 

"I’d guess about half an hour-" she answered.

Barry and Robin exchanged a quick glance to make sure they were thinking the exact same thing and, of course, they were. “Good, because that's enough time to get Wally's dad. He's got hell to pay for his actions" Barry said, standing up and pulling his cowl back on, determination shining in his bright blue eyes.


	4. Wally's Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> MysticSpeedForce1234 (on FF.Net) Suggested that I wrote about Wally’s nightmare, thank you very much for the idea :)

Wally's POV

I woke up in my house and was relived to find out that I was of what appeared to be perfect health.

“Wired, the bottle wound is gone and my head is fine was that all a dream?” I thought to myself as I looked around the house; "everything looks normal."

Suddenly there was a massive bang. I looked around rapidly for the source of the noise. But I could only look.

"Why aren't I moving…?" I cast my eyes down to my legs, nothing looks wrong. So why won't they move?

I tired with all my might to take a step, but I just fall flat on my face, I pushed myself over on to my back and sat up staring at my legs. 

They look different now. A huge branching crack runs up each of them; they look as if the slightest touch would smash them in to a million pieces all over the floor. "Wh-what the!" I say in panic, "D-does this mean I can never run again…" I stutter gawping at my cracked limbs… “I'm scared to touch them, what could happen?”

Then I heard a familiar voice calling at me from behind. 

"What happened to you dude?"

"R-Robin…?" I questioned, looking behind me. I guessed right. 

The boy wonder stood in the doorway with a cocky smile on his face, leaning against the doorframe "You don't look very aster." he chuckled sinisterly. 

"I don't feel it either! Don't laugh bro; my legs are practically broken! What am I gonna do?" my breath quickened rapidly, pretty much on the brink of hyperventilating in panic. If I couldn’t run, what use would I be?

Robin came over and sat next to me, still smiling, he examined my legs before finally saying.

"Well, what we have to do is simple really" he cooed in a very unnatural chilling tone.

I sighed; happy that I could trust Robin to know what to do "What’s that th-" I began, but I was cut off by an insane amount of pain coming from my legs. I screamed and let tears escape as I looked in horror at Robin who was smashing my legs with his own-gloved hands. 

"We kill you." He smirked at me evilly.

I gasped, trying to speak but the pain wouldn't let the words come out.

"Shhh, don't worry. You’ll enjoy this-" he paused and punched me in the gut "-a lot less than I'm going to enjoy this." Robin laughed manically.

He continued to beat me; I couldn't believe what was happening. “Robin wouldn't do this! He's my best friend!" I thought over and over to myself, trying so hard to convince myself this wasn't happening… but it was.

As Robin's fists collided hard with my upper body he yelled "We were never friends! I always hated you! I only tolerate you because I pity you so much. Why are you even alive you want to be Flash?"

"Robin hates me. I don't know why I'm alive. No one likes me." that same cycle of words continued to repeat over and over in my thoughts, accelerating each time they were thought.

Robin hates me. I don't know why I'm alive. No one likes me.

Robin hates me. I don't know why I'm alive. No one likes me.

Robin hates me. I don't know why I'm alive. No one likes me.

I stared wide-eyed at Robin. He was smiling, enjoying hurting me… anger filled me and I shoved him off me. Feeling a moment of peaceful-ness I shut my eyes as they over flowed with tears. I'm used to the physical pain because dad does this all the time; I just can't deal with my best friend hating me.

Then there was another massive bang, exactly like the first.

I heard a voice speak, definitely not belonging to Robin. "Hey, kiddo, you shouldn't shove your so called "friends". Have I really failed that much at attempting to teach you?"

My eyes shot open "Uncle Barry?"I questioned, I had guessed right again. Although I wished I hadn't when I saw Robin and Uncle Barry (in his Flash uniform) standing together glaring at me with a look of pure disgust.

They stepped forward as I scrambled back as much as I could before my week body gave out and I lay on the cold unforgiving ground. “Stop! Please! Don't come closer!" I cried in a raspy voice, my throat burning with each passing word. They hover over me; glaring cold enough to make the Bat-Glare look like a big happy smile.

"Why not?" the Flash smirked maliciously and pulled me up by my red hair, staring me dead in the eyes "You can’t do anything, and you won’t. Because you never help anyone, not even yourself. You're a disappointment, who could ever be proud of you." Barry snapped.

That was it.

The final blow.

"Then kill me…" I whimpered, not wanting to live anymore "Please, just do it. Get it over with already." tears streamed down my face as I pleaded. Thoughts raced through my mind "I don't want to die but it’s better than suffering forever. I won't be missed, the most important people to me in the whole world hate me, I'm a disappointment to them." My Uncle said something I couldn’t hear and backhanded me across my face; I don't want even think about what he could have said. 

Another massive bang thundered through the room, this time followed by a flash of bright white light that engulfed my surrounding, including Robin and Uncle Barry.

…

I was back where I started.

The living room in my house. Alone and with legs, legs that thankfully moved! "What was all that-?" I asked myself bewildered. It was then that Martian Man Hunter phased out of the floor and stood before me. "N-not again" I stuttered backing up.

"No, do not worry; I have taken you out of your nightmare Wallace." He said raising two hands as a gesture of trying to get me to calm down.

"It was just a nightmare? But how? It was all so real." I looked down at my legs and grasped the tightly, remembering how broken they had previously looked.

"You've been through a lot of trauma recently Wallace," the Martian began "I'm going to send you in to a dreamless sleep for a while so you can rest, okay?"

"Of course." I said smiling ever so slightly, it was good to know it was all a terrible, terrible nightmare, but Uncle Barry and Robin's words still echoed in my mind as I drifted away in to blissful darkness.


	5. Get What You Deserve

The Flash and Robin stood outside Wally's house, after zeta-beaming nearby and speeding there.

"Do you think he's home?" Robin questioned glaring at the old house.

"There’s only one way to find out." Flash grumbled approaching the door and unlocking it. Hearing any speedster talk in such a dark and unforgiving tone is one of the most surreal things to even imagine, but there was no holding back on the rage inside of Barry right now.

The two heroes entered looking around the living room for Wally’s father, but their eyes kept being drawn to the drying blood that filled one section of the floor. Robin sighed and was about to comment on the blood when he was cut off by a vicious yell from the kitchen.

"Is that you boy?" the voice was slurred and hardly understandable. Robin and the Flash's heads snapped to the noise, they knew exactly who it was. Flash zoomed in to the kitchen and Robin followed soon after. The sight that met Robin's eyes was the Flash pinning Rudolph down to the kitchen table, holding the drunks head down and his hands behind him. Flash lent down and practically spat in Rudy's ear, "As a hero, I've seen this before… But I never would have imagined someone in my family tree would do it. Iris always said you were bad news." 

"What th' hell are you talking about!" the drunk shouted, each word coming out of his alcohol coated mouth sounding somewhat wobbly. He struggled furiously in the Flash's grip trying to get away.

Robin stepped forward and stared Rudy in the eyes. “We are talking about what you did to Wally."

Rudolph's right eye twitched as he seemed to remember something, "That damn brat didn't clean the floor! Wait till I see him again, I'll-" He was cut off as Flash yanked the older man up and pressed his forehead to his, staring daggers at him.

"You will never see Wally again.”

"He's my goddamn dumb shit of a son. You can't take him away!"

"Just watch me," Barry hissed as he threw Rudy to the floor, the collision made him grunt in pain. 

Robin loomed over the man lying on the floor "You think that hurt? Think about what Wally went through." Robin began to deliver powerful punches to Rudolph’s chest and face. The boy wonders eyes filled with tears ever so slightly as he hit, thinking about all Wally's father had done to his best friend, and thinking about why Wally hadn't told him what had been happening. Robin continued to beat the man and Flash watched until Rudolph began to cough up a blood; then The Flash pulled Robin off the drunk. "Why'd you stop me?" Robin protested angrily, still wanting desperately to let Rudy have a taste of his own medicine.

"I can't let you continue." Flash said solemnly, "We are heroes, not murderers."

"But-!” Robin began but the words died on his tongue. He blinked away a few tears and then said, in such a broken voice “Don't you want to make that bastard pay?"

"Yes I do-" Flash picked the older man up off the floor by his collar, blood dribbled from his mouth. Barry seemed to examine the wrecked state the man was in before he punched Rudy in the face, knocking him out and sending him flying across the room clashing with part of the kitchen counter, "-I just have to control myself slightly. Now we've got to take him to the Watchtower for medical treatment and questioning."

Robin sighed, "Fine, fine… he'll be in jail forever after this; and I'll make sure of that." with that, the duo left carrying the passed out man.


	6. Fear and Realisation

Wally awoke with a start in the Watchtower medical bay with a bit of a jolt. He couldn't remember what happened, but he had a fear filled feeling in the pit of his stomach. "What the hell happened to me?" he thought, puzzled, glancing around the mainly white room. As he began to sit up he felt an insane twinge of pain hit him, coming from his lower abdomen. "Ah-ah-owwwww!" Wally fell back on to his bed and shut his eyes tightly as the stabbing pain faded.

"How are you feeling?" a gruff voice sounded from the doorway.

"I've been better" Wally said with a laugh, not even having to open his eyes to know it was Batman he was talking too. "But what happened to me?” “It must have been bad and I don't remember any of it… did I piss Artemis off again?" he attempted to joke, then opened his eyes and sighed

"You don't remember what happened?" Wally’s only reply was a slight nod of his head and a quiet “Yeah” as he suddenly realised how serious his situation could be. He was in that Watch tower after all. "Wait here, I need to ask J'onn something." Batman turned and left abruptly, leaving a very confused Wally even more confused than before.

"I feel like I’m gunna die of anticipation now, great." Wally grumbled and began drumming his fingers on the side of his bed.

*

Robin and Barry zeta-beamed back to the Watchtower. Dragging Rudolph behind them, after deciding that being carried was too much of a privilege for what the horrid man had done. They found Wonder Woman and explained to her what happened and asked her to treat him then lock him up for questioning. She agreed soon after then flew away carrying the blooded man.

The two heroes found Batman and Martian Man Hunter conversing on their way back to Wally's place in the medical bay. "How's the kid?" Barry asked thankful to finally be closer to his nephew once more.

J'onn turned to him with a concerned face, "Wallace does not remember anything about what happened. I fear that when I pulled him out of his nightmare something went wrong." The Martian looked very disappointed in himself. 

Robin spoke up "Can we see him? We can talk to him, maybe he'll remember?"

Barry nodded in agreement. Batman and Martian Man Hunter exchanged questioning glances before telling the two people closest to Wally's heart that they could see the wounded speedster. "Okay, but don't mention anything to him straight away, let him know slowly. Memories returning too fast can do neurological damage."

They ran to the medical bay (The Flash didn't want to leave Robin behind as he knew they were both as worried as each other) and entered. They looked at the speedster who was gazing out the window.

The sound of the door shutting made Wally look around at Barry and Robin. A few memories flooded back to him at the sight of their faces. His eyes widened and he began to vibrate in fear. "L-look just stay away! Please! What did I do to you!" Wally shouted, his voice cracking slightly.

"Kiddo calm down," Barry stepped forward towards his hysterical nephew, only making his nephew shout out more incoherent cries for help.

"Wh-whats wrong with him?" Robin stuttered "What does he think we did?"

Barry closed in further towards his nephew, "Hey, kiddo calm down!" he said softly, trying to soothe the terrified speedster.

"No way! You're just going to beat me again! You hate me!" Wally cried, bringing his arms up to his head, protecting his face.

Barry froze in terror "I would never-"

"But you did!" Wally cut in; he had tears rolling down his pale freckled cheeks as he did so.

Barry was lost for words, what had happened inside his nephews mind?

*

Just after Wally had started screaming Robin had ran out the room to find Martian Man Hunter. Robin wished he had The Flashes super speed right now; he ran through corridor after corridor in search of the Martian. Eventually he found J'onn, eating Oreos in the cafeteria. Robin mentally face-palmed for not thinking to go their first and then dashed up to the green man.

"Robin? Does he remember?"

"He remembers something, I don't know what but he's terrified of me and Flash! What the hell is going on! It’s like he inhaled the Scarecrows fear gas!"

J'onn looked concerned then he and Robin took off as fast as they could to the medical bay. They could still hear Wally shouting on the other side of the door and Barry's failing attempts to calm the speedster. The two burst through the double doors and ran up to the slightly freaking out Barry then pulled him away from freaking out Wally.

"Wait out-side," J'onn commanded to Robin and Barry while gesturing for them to leave the room and wait until further notice "it is clear seeing you both is causing Wallace distress. I'll see what I can do."

They hesitantly left and sat out side with a sigh, refusing to acknowledge the tears that threatened to leave their eyes. Robin and Barry's thoughts were the same "I would never hurt him. How could he ever think that I would?"

*

J'onn pulled a chair up and sat next to the trembling speedster. "Why did you react that way?" he questioned.

"Why wouldn't I? I thought they were my friends! But they beat me up… that's why I'm here right?" Wally sniffed as he whipped away some of his tears.

"No… Wallace, all you remember is a nightmare. None of that really happened." J'onn said slowly.

"No! But that's the only reason I can think of…” he trailed off, then locked eyes with the Martian with an expression of pure confusion “Then why am I here?"

"Allow me to answer that." A gruff voice stated from beside them. Both J'onn and Wally's head snapped round to look at The Dark Knight who stood on the other side of the bed

"When did you get there?"

"Doesn't matter."

Wally rolled his eyes, then Batman continued "J'onn if you could excuse us please, I'll explain the situation to Kid Flash." The Martian nodded and quietly exited, knowing that Batman would be able to tell Wally of his situation, because even Batman understood human emotion better than him. Batman took J'onn’s seat and sat resting his chin on his knuckle, looking (not bat-glaring) at Wally, but even that look was unsettling to the speedster.

"Quit looking at me like that…" Wally started then Batman raised a questioning eyebrow behind his cowl and Wally dropped the subject. “Look, whatever. Please just tell me what's going on.” The red head wined throwing his hands in the air in exaggeration then ran them through his red hair, nursing his growing headache.

"Before you say anything, listen to me."

Wally sighed and lent back shutting his eyes, preparing to hear the dark knights words "Yeah, yeah… just tell it to me straight okay? I can take whatever it is."

"Your father stabbed you with a broken bottle which caused you’re insides to haemorrhage. Then, while Wonder Woman and myself were treating you, you had a vivid nightmare in which you get beaten up to near death buy the two people closest to you, The Flash and Robin. You believe what happened in the nightmare to be true; this could be a result of or J'onn pulling you out of the nightmare so quickly. Either way, we need you to remember the truth."

Wally's eyes opened after Batman uttered the words "Your father stabbed you with a bottle" After Batman's explanation it was all so very clear what had happened and Wall remembered all. He also knew that they now knew that his father did this to him, as if things couldn't get any worse, they were going to confront him about the child abuse he'd been receiving. Which speedster would involve everyone being mad at him for not telling and seemingly endless questions. 

Wally covered his eyes with his arm and grumbled "Well this is going to be as fun as a fight with Grodd…”


	7. Things will get better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story comes to an end, with hope for a better future.

Meanwhile outside Wally's room in the med bay Robin and Barry sat on the floor slumped against the wall looking utterly lost in their own thoughts. There had been a tense silence for a while now, and it was eventually broken by Barry as he looked up to the cleaning and said with a sigh, "He really looks up to you ya'know…"

Robin was snapped out of his thoughts with this comment and he stared at the sadden speedster. "Really? I thought he only looked up to you…"

"He does?" the blond man had a very surprised expression on his face as he said so.

"Yeah, a whole lot." The boy wonder cracked a smile "Can’t you tell?"

"Well no… Can't you tell he looks up to you? I mean; you're the detective." Barry chuckled and nudged his side jokingly as he made the point.

"I just never though he would." 

"He does, trust me" Barry smiled politely.

There was another rather long pause of awkward tense science then Robin laughed randomly, causing Barry to question his laughter with a puzzled look. "I was just thinking about the time he put the bucket of water on the door and Miss M and Artemis walked through it and got soaked! Wally had to hide from them for a week!"

Barry laughed as well "He was lucky there were no missions that week then."

"Yeah, that so wouldn’t have been aster!" 

Robin and The Flash reminisced for ages, laughing and thinking only of the favourite young red headed hyperactive Wally West as they did so. Eventually the conversation swung round to Wally's farther, making a white rage build up slowly in the acrobat and speedster.

"I never liked him, even when Mary was still alive! There's always been something off about Rudolph… I should have known…" Barry growled, disappointed in himself “I just don't know why someone would do that! And to Wally of all people, he’s a good kid."  
"I’ve never known much about him… But I know now that he’s a class A ass, and that he's going to be locked up for good." Robin grumbled. “Barry, don't beat yourself up… Wally hid it so well. I mean, like you said, I'm the detective!" The Boy Wonder said with a sad and frustrated smile as he referenced the earlier comment, "Even I didn't see it, I must not be a very good detective; I've missed two things to do with my best friend!" Robin threw and arm in the air to exaggerate then sighed as he brought it back down quickly.

Barry put a hand on Robins shoulder "You're a good detective; you were the one who worked out exactly what Wally had done before anyone else when he pranked Superboy in to thinking that all electronics were evil robots!"

Robin looked up at the older man with a grin as he remembered the mischievous prank. Barry then continued his little speech about The Boy Wonder.

"You’re also the one who tricked Batman in to thinking you were dead! That takes skill. But that prank was a little evil though."

Robin snickered "Yeah I did, I got in to so much trouble…" he still felt a little guilty about that prank.

"I think everyone knew that was going to happen.” He joked “Besides, no one knew apart from Wally and his good for nothing father."

"Mmm… guess that’s 'cause Wally's just Wally. He wears a mask of happiness, I'm glad it’s finally breaking and we can help him." Robin mused.

*

Once Batman left the med bay and told Barry and Robin they could see Kid Flash the pair darted in to Wally's room and were at his side in seconds. 

Robin was the first to speak out of the three, eager to break the awkward silence between them all "Well looks like a bit of a disaster has happened here… heavy on the dis." He saw Wally crack a smile at his best friend’s way of speaking, Robin knew he'd always liked it. "How are you feeling?" Robin continued.

The redhead's smile faded and he lent back in his bed. "I've been better, but then again I've been worse too so I guess that means I'm okay." Wally said trying to sound like his usual happy-go-lucky self, but he wasn't fooling anyone. In fact, because he said he'd been worse Robin and Barry's worries about Wally only grew. 

Barry questioned his nephew's last statement "What do you mean you've been worse? How much more?"

"Don't worry Uncle Barry, its nothing…" Wally said rolling his eyes, trying to brush the subject aside.

"Kiddo, it’s defiantly not ‘nothing’." Wally's uncle sounded a lot more stern than usual "You can always tell me anything” he paused to let the words sink in “Any problem you have I'll solve, I'll rescue you."

"And if anyone ever hurts you we'll make sure they won’t even think about doing it ever again!" Robin added to Barry's short speech.

The older blond man took a hold of one of Wally's pail hands and pressed it to his forehead as he looked down with a sigh, Wally and Robin could hear the tears threatening to fall from Barry's eyes. "Wally, I'm so sorry I didn't notice… I just-" Barry's grip tightened significantly on Wally's hand, he brushed away a few stray tears that fell from his eyes as he looked up towards his nephew. "Why didn't you tell me?" Barry asked as guilt for letting Wally go through this washed over him.

The red head looked truly ashamed; he couldn't bear to look at his uncle or best friend. 

He felt terrible. 

So Wally shifted in bed and turned so he was looking out the window on to the ocean of stars in space, then he mumbled something illegible and quiet.

The Boy Wonder folded his arms across his chest and shook his head "Only Superboy could hear that dude." he said sarcastically as he tried to somewhat lighten the tense atmosphere. It didn’t work though.

The sarcasm about Wally's mumble earned the boy wonder a flash of a smirk on Wally's bandaged face (but only a flash, the smile went as soon as it came). 

He turned to face them a little. He repeated his mumble so that human ears could actually hear what he had to say. “I’m a hero; I'm supposed to be strong. People don't have to worry about me. I can handle myself" Wally clenched his fists and looked down in self anguish. 

There was a short silence as Barry and Robin thought about what the red head had told them. 

The wait for their reactions was killing Wally on the inside. Would they yell? Would they understand? Would they be so hurt that he hadn't told them and never speak or look at him again? 

Wally heart sank, and he wanted more and more to shrink away in too the floor and not have to deal with this.

“Kid, even heroes need help. That’s why you’re a part of a team. So please.” Barry’s voice cracked a bit as emotions rose from the pit of his stomach.

“Don’t ever go through something like that alone again. Tell us, please.” Robin finished

Wally stared wide eyed at his best friend and uncle before tearing up “Th-thanks guys I-“ the words died in his mouth and everything that had happened suddenly caught up with him and his shoulder shook as he openly sobbed.

Barry and robin got up and tightly hugged Wally, lord knows he needed the comfort right now.

Everything seemed calmer and clearer all of a sudden. 

Wally was safe. 

Rudolph will be serving a life sentence for his heinous crime. 

Things could finally be happy, and about as normal as a super heroes life could get.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End!
> 
> Thanks for reading :D
> 
> I know it wasn't the best ending but I cant remember what I planned for this story when I first started writing it, so I thought I had bets just leave in on a hopeful and happy note.
> 
> Again, thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!
> 
> ((Look on my profile too read about Robin and Wally's pranks!))


End file.
